Grimsby’s world-leading role in offshore wind development is being showcased in a new video.
The largest of the developers operating from the town, Ørsted, has brought forward the piece, as the record-breaking Hornsea One project reaches another milestone - 1GW of capacity at a single farm.
Docks Beers was the venue for the premiere, building on an initial piece put together earlier this year.
Grimsby: Turning the Tide, focuses on the transformation that has been brought about as a new industry has reached critical mass over the course of a decade.
It features good news stories that have come out of the development of offshore wind within the town and the many people affected by the success.
From local entrepreneurs to councillors, business owners and apprentices, all those featured have something positive to say about the industry that aims to change the world from a base in Grimsby.
Central to it are Ørsted employees, demonstrating their passion about the role they’re playing in creating a world that runs entirely on green energy.
Mark Hickson, Ørsted’s head of operations at Lincs wind farm - a site taken on from forerunner Centrica, which it had initially been a junior partner in, said: “As a local resident myself, I’m proud to work for a company who is making real waves in transforming the economic landscape of the town.
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“The video we’ve created only incorporates some of the many people who are proud to work alongside Ørsted and join us on this incredible journey of clean energy production.”
The film charts the change from a town that was once the world’s largest fishing port, with impressive trawler fleet and monumental seafood landings ensuring the name was known across the globe.
It declined in the second half of the last century, with unemployment rates growing. However, a new era for the maritime community sending ripples through the town is dawning, attracting attention from the US to Taiwan, Australia to Japan.
Ørsted, with E.on, followed Centrica to the town in 2014, with Innogy now joining too.
Initially the Danish giant and world leader in the sector had a portable site hosting less than 20 employees.
Five years on and the company now employs 350 employees at the £14 million operations and maintenance (O&M) facility on Royal Dock. Known as the East Coast Hub, it is the world’s largest offshore wind O&M base.
Hornsea One, the current farm in construction off the coast, has just reached an installed capacity of 1GW, as it heads towards 1.2GW when complete. Siemens Gamesa has confirmed that 147 of the 174 turbines are now generating. It has already unofficially taken the title of the world's largest ahead of final commissioning, anticipated early next year.
The benefits to businesses in the local area are also featured; a local delicatessen speaks about how offshore wind has enabled rapid growth and ex-fish auctioneer turned industry support entrepreneur Kurt Christensen, said: “It’s fantastic to see this sort of investment in Grimsby. Ørsted has engaged with the community in a manner of different ways and is dedicated to making a real difference locally. Where possible, they’ve shown that they’re keen to buy and employ locally and personally, I’m so pleased that they chose to set up their site in our town.”